Bacteriological sampling set



June 11, 1968 H. INGVORSEN BACTERIOLOGICAL SAMPLING SET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed June 1, 1965 g l m INVENTOR 'wru ATTORNEYS June 11, 1968 H.INGVORSEN BACTERIOLOGICAL SAMPLING SET Filed June 1, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet2 INVENTOR BY Jana, M, $00510 ATTORNEYS 3,388,043 BAQTERHOLOGlCALSAMPLING ET Heimnth lngvorsen, Roshilde, Denmark, asslgnor to A/S Nunc,Roskilde, Denmark Filed dune l, 1965, Ser. No. 460,235 ll Claims. (Cl.195139) ABSTRAiIT (IF THE DES-CLOSURE A bacteriological sampling setcomprising an elongated open-ended enclosure with a cover closing theopen end. A substrate tube containing gelatinous substrate material issecured within the elongated enclosure. A sampling stick located in thesubstrate tube extends from one end thereof, is folded upon itselfoutside the substrate tube at a weakened zone. A slidable sleeve ismounted on the stick to reinforce the stick when it is unfolded andextended for use. A cap is provided for the open portion of thesubstrate tube during transportation. The cap may have a groove forreceiving the bent-over end of the stick.

This invention relates to a bacteriological sampling set for taking asample and dispatching it to another place such as a laboratory forlisting.

A bacteriological sampling set for use in the taking and dispatch of asample to be listed in respect of gonococcus or the like is known whichconsists of a sealed glass tube containing a jelly-like substrate andbeing adapted to be dispatched in a wrapping at the option of the personhandling the sample, as well as a sterilized wooden stick wrapped in aseparate enclosure and provided at one end with a pad of cotton wool orsimilar material.

When taking the bacteriological sample, the portion of the stickprovided with the pad of cotton wool is brought into contact with theorgan from which a secretion sample is to be taken and then this portionof the stick is introduced into the substrate in the tube after theupper portion of the latter has been cut off. The portion of the stickprotruding from the glass tube is then broken off whereafter the openend of the glass tube is closed, for instance by means of a stopper orcotton wool. When the tube reaches the laboratory where the sample is tobe tested the broken stick must be removed. This is difficult becausethe end of the stick is present in the open end of the tube so that theperson to remove the stick may easily get into contact with the portionof the stick on which the secretion sample is present, or with thesubstrate itself. Moreover the stopper frequently does not offeradequate security against the penetration of bacteria into the tubeduring transportation of the sample.

It is the object of the present invention to provide a bacteriologicalsampling set constituting a self-contained unit and still not requiringsubstantially more space than the tube itself, and by means of whichsampling set the introduction and removal of the sampling stick and theclosing of the tube are substantially facilitated so that the danger ofinfection during the handling of the sample is substantially eliminated.

With this object in view, according to the invention, a bacteriologicalsampling set is provided which comprises an elongated enclosure havingan open end, a cover for closing said open end, a substrate tube withinsaid enclosure, a sampling stick made from plastic and constructed witha notch permitting the stick to be folded upon itself about an axisthrough the zone weakened by said notch, a sleeve slidably mounted onsaid stick, and a cylindrical or prismatic cap the lower portion ofwhich is shaped to enclose the upper portion of said substrate tubeduring transportation. Preferably, according to the invention, said capis constructed with a downwardly diverging groove for receiving thebent-over end of said stick States Patent Patented June 11, 1968 afterthe other end thereof has been introduced into said substrate tube.

The sampling stick made from plastic may be folded upon itself in such amanner that the folded body will have a length substantiallycorresponding to that of the tube. Consequently the sampling stick canbe dispatched together with the tube in the enclosure without having toincrease the length of the latter substantially beyond that required foraccommodating the tube. The stick is preferably made from polypropylenewhich has the characteristic of being additionally strengthened in thezone of the notch by the repeated bending taking place in this zone,presumably as a consequence of a certain molecular orientation createdin this zone by the bending stresses. The zone in question willtherefore act as a strong hinge. When the doctor is to use the samplingstick, he removes this from the enclosure in which it is arranged in afoldedup position in a sealed bag of foil by the side of the substratetube. The doctor then straightens out the stick and pushes the sleevedown to the zone of the notch so that the hinge is blocked and the stickacquires the desired length. By suitably selecting the thickness of thesampling stick and the inner diameter of the sleeve, the sleeve may bemade relatively readily slidable on the stick but will neverthelessremain in the position in which it has been adjusted.

The sleeve is preferably mounted on the portion of the stick which inthe straightened position of the latter is present above the notch, anda shoulder preventing the sleeve from sliding past the notch maysuitably be provided immediately below the notch. The lower portion ofthe sampling stick is preferably of smaller diameter than the remainingportion of the stick and may be constructed on its outer surface with aplurality of rows of small knobs. These serve to attach a pad of cottonwool before putting the stick into the bag. However, if desired, adifferent porous material, such as a piece of foam plastic, may beattached to the lower end of the stick.

After the secretion has been applied to the cotton wool pad of thesampling stick the lower end of the stick is introduced into thesubstrate after the upper portion of the latter has been cut off.

The upper portion of the stick may then either be cut off in the zone ofthe notch, or it may be bent over along the side of the substrate tubeafter the sleeve has been slid away from the notch. Thereafter thesubstrate tube is put into the enclosure which is preferably cylindricaland provided at its bottom with an insert member forming a support forthe substrate tube which is thereby prevented from moving in a lateraldirection. The cap is now applied so as to enclose the upper portion ofthe substrate tube, thereby also preventing this portion from moving ina lateral direction. If the upper portion of the sampling stick has notbeen cut off but bent over, the bent over portion will be received inthe downwardly diverging groove if this is provided. A grooved cap mayalso be used if the upper portion of the sampling stick is out 01f sincethe width of the groove is small as compared with the diameter of thecap. Consequently the substrate tube will also in this case besubstantially prevented from moving in the lateral direction. After thecover has been applied to the enclosure the substrate tube will also beprevented from substantially moving in the longitudinal direction of theenclosure. In the upper portion of the cap a pad of plastic may bearranged serving to attenuate movement of the sampling stick in thelongitudinal direction if the enclosure is subjected to shocks or blows.To obtain a similar elastic support in the lower part of the enclosure,the insert member provided in this position is preferably constructedwith three uniformly spaced projections supported on the bottom of theenclosure whereby a certain elasticity is obtained if the insert memberis made from plastic with a relatively small wall thickness. Thesubstrate tube and the sampling stick are thus sufficiently protectedagainst shocks and blows to which the enclosure may be subjected duringtransportation.

Preferably the substrate in the substrate tube has a jelly-likeconsistency but it may also be in the form of a viscose liquid.

To take up the vapours dissipated from the substrate duringtransportation, which vapours might otherwise be condensed on the innerwall of the enclosure, porous pads, for instance of paper, may beprovided at the top and bottom of the enclosure.

If the substrate has a consistency such that leakage mm the tube islikely to occur during transportation, a hollow stopper may he slid ontothe sampling stick after the upper portion of the latter has been cutoff.

This stopper may be constructed on its outer face with a plurality ofannular, radially projecting thin flanges having diameters decreasing inthe longitudinal direction of the stopper. When this stopper is slidonto the sampling stick with the flange having the smallest diameter atthe bottom, a satisfactory degree of sealing may be obtained byintroducing the stopper into tubes of varying inner diameter because theflanges, which are preferably made from polyethylene and are thereforereadily flexible, will assume a position corresponding to the innerdiameter of the substrate tube. This stopper is also used in such caseswhere it is considered essential to reduce evaporation from thesubstrate, during transportation, to a minimum.

To obtain a suitable friction between the sleeve or the stopper and thesampling stick, the sleeve and the stopper are preferably constructed ontheir inner sides with a plurality of longitudinally extending parallelprojections engaging the surface of the stick.

If the cover of the enclosure is a screw cover, the attachment of thiscover is likely to cause rotation of the cap with the bent-over samplingstick accommodated therein as a consequence of the friction between thecap and the cover.

By such rotation of the sampling stick in the jellylike substrate airpassages are formed in the substrate. If the sampling set is used forthe dispatch of samples to be tested in respect of gonococcus, theoccurrence of such air passages may result in extermination of a considerable proportion of the gonococcus.

To avoid such rotation of the cap and the sampling stick duringapplication of the screw cover, the cap may, according to a preferredembodiment of the invention, be constructed on its outer face with aplurality of axially extending ribs, the outer portion of which may beslid into corresponding axially extending grooves in the inner wall ofthe enclosure. When using such a cap, no rotation of this will takeplace even if a certain friction occurs between the upper portion of thecap and the screw cover.

According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, in order toavoid leakage of fluid given off by the substrate or of the substrateitself during transportation, the sampling set further comprises aninner cap adapted to be placed around a cut-off sampling stickintroduced into said substrate tube, the outer face of said inner capbeing constructed in its upper portion with a plurality of ribs holdingsaid inner cap in a central position in said first mentioned cap, andbeing constructed in its lower portion with a plurality of peripheral,radially projecting flanges adapted upon introduction of said inner capinto the opening of said substrate tube to be pressed against the innerwall thereof. Thus the substrate tube and the inner can combine to forma closed space from which substantially no leakage of fluid or substratemay take place. Since the upper portion of the said inner cap isadditionally held in a central position in the outer cap by means of thesaid ribs, the inner cap will be held securely in position even if theset is subjec ed to strong shocks during transportation.

The invention will now be described in further detail with reference tothe accompanying drawings in which FIG. 1 shows one form of a. samplingset according to the invention after a sample has been taken, as seen inside view and partly in section,

FIG. 2, a section along the line IL-ll in FIG. 1,

PEG. 3, a sampling stick with a transparent sleeve, in side view,

FIG. 4, a longitudinal section on an enlarged scale through a hollowstopper for mounting on a sampling stick,

FIG. 5, a section along the line VV in FIG. 4,

FIG. 6, a second form of a sampling set according to the invention asseen in side View and partly in section,

FIG. 7, a cross-section along the line VIIVH in FIG- URE 6 and,

FIG. 8, a cross-section along the line VIIIVlII in FIG. 6.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, 1 is an elongated enclosure or container, for instancemade from shatter-proof polystyrol, and 2 is a cover belonging to theenclosure which cover may be made from polypropyleneln the enclosure asubstrate tube 3 is provided which is supported at its bottom in aninsert member 4 while the top of the tube is received in a cap 5constructed with a downwardly diverging groove 6. The cap 5 is receivedin a collar 7 on the bottom face of the cover 2. In the tube 3, whichcontains a jelly-like substrate, a sampling stick 8 is present, which,is illustrated in bent-over position in FIG. 1, and the upper portion ofwhich is accommodated in the down.- wardly diverging groove 6. Thesampling stick 8 is provided with a slidable sleeve 9 which may be sliddown across a notch 10 of the stick so as to engage a shoulder 11. Thelower end of the sampling stick 8 has a smaller diameter than theremaining portion of the stick and is constructed with a plurality ofknobs 12.

In the upper portion of the cap 5 a pad 13 of resilient material, suchas foam plastic, is provided.

The insert member 4 is constructed on its bottom face with threeuniformly spaced projections 14 which are supported on the bottom of theenclosure 1. Rings 115 of an absorbing material such as paper areprovided in the cap 2 and around the insert member 4, said ringsserving, in the closed state of the enclosure, to absorb moisturedissipated from the substrate in the tube 3.

FIGS. 4 and 5 show a hollow stopper 15, the outer face of which isconstructed with annular flanges 16 of varying diameters. The innerdiameter of the stopper corresponds to the thickness of the samplingstick so that the stopper may he slid onto the latter. In order toobtain a suitable friction between the sleeve 9 or the hollow stopper 15and the sampling stick 3, the sleeve and the hollow stopper areconstructed, as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 5 as far as the hollowstopper is concerned, with longitudinal parallel inwardly projectingedges 17 for engaging the outer surface of the sampling stick 8.

When the doctor receives the sampling set, the sampling stick 8 will bepresent in folded-up position inside the enclosure by the side of theclosed substrate tube 3, and the hollow stopper 15 will likewise bepresent in the enclosure. Both are located in a sealed bag of foilmaterial.

Upon removal of the cover, the sampling stick is taken out of theenclosure and is straightened out whereafter the sleeve 9 is slid acrossthe notch 10 to engage the shoulder 11. A pad of sterilized cotton woolor similar material is provided around the portion of the sampling stick8 constructed with the knobs 12. After the secretion sample has beentaken, the portion of the sampling stick 8 provided with the cotton woolpad is introduced into the substrate tube after this has been removedfrom the enclosure and has had its top cut off. The sleeve 9 is thenslid onto the upper portion of the sampling stick 8 whereafter thelatter may be folded upon itself or cut off in the zone of the notch 10.The cap 5 is applied and the substrate tube is introduced into theenclosure whereafter the cover 2 is applied to the latter. The samplingset may now be displatched without danger of contamination of thesubstrate to the laboratory where the sample is to be tested. Here thesampling stick 8 may easily be removed after the cover 2 and the cap 5have been taken off.

If the substrate is so liquid that it may leak out of the substrate tubeduring transportation, or if it is desired to reduce evaporation fromthe substrate during transportation to a minimum, the hollow stopper maybe slid onto the sampling stick 8 after the upper portion thereof hasbeen cut off and may be pushed so far into the opening of the tube as toobtain a suitable degree of sealing against the walls of the upperportion of the tube. Such sealing may be obtained notwithstandingvariations of the inner diameter of the substrate tube by firstintroducing the portion of the stopper where the flange has the smallestdiameter, and adjusting the extent to which the stopper is pushed intothe tube in accordance with the dimensions of the opening of the tube.

In FIG. 6, 18 is an enclosure provided with a screw cover 19. Asubstrate tube 20 filled with a substrate of jelly-like consistency isprovided in the enclosure and is supported at its bottom in an insertmember 21. An outer cap 22 is provided on the upper portion of thesubstrate tube 20 and is constructed on its outer face with threeaxially extending ribs 23 engaged in three corresponding grooves 24 inthe inner wall of the enclosure 18, said grooves extending in the wholelength of the enclosure and thereby holding the insert member 21 inposition at the bottom of the enclosure. The outer cap 22 is constructedwith a downwardly and outwardly diverging groove 25 adapted to receive abent-over portion of a sampling stick 26 if this has not been cut ofl inthe zone of a notch of the sampling stick, such as illustrated in thedrawing. The upper portion of the outer cap 22 is received in a collar27 on the bottom face of the screw cover 19, thereby to hold the cap 22in a central position and to ensure that it will enclose the upperportion of the substrate tube 20. Around the collar 27 and the insertmember 21 two rings 28 and 29 of an absorbing material are provided,said rings serving to absorb moisture that may be dissipated from thesubstrate and escape from the substrate tube.

In the embodiment illustrated the opening of the substrate tube isclosed by means of an inner cap 30 which completely encloses the portionof the cut-off sampling stick 26 present outside the substrate tube. Theupper portion of the inner cap 30 is constructed on its outer face withfour ribs 31 holding the upper portion of the cap 30 in a centralposition in the outer cap 22. On the outer face of the lower portion ofthe cap 39, three peripheral, radially projecting flanges 32 areprovided which engage the inner face of the upper portion of thesubstrate tube 20.

When using the sampling set illustrated in FIGURES 6 to 8, after thesecretion sample has been taken by means of the sampling stick 26, thelower end of the latter is then cut off at its notch and the inner cap30 is slid into the remaining part of the stick until the flanges 32 arepressed into the opening of the substrate tube 20. The outer cap 22 isnow mounted on the inner cap 30 by engaging the ribs in the grooves 24.When the screw cover 19 is applied no rotation of the inner cap andhence no rotation of the sampling stick will take place even if acertain friction should occur between the upper portion of the outer cap22 and the collar 27.

In this manner the formation of air passages in the substrate is avoidedso that the gonococcus that may be present in the substrate are notsubjected to the influence of the atmosphere. At the same time theopening of the substrate tube is closed by the inner cap 30.

I claim:

1. A bacteriological sampling set comprising an elongated enclosurehaving an open end, a cover closing said open end, a substrate tubewithin said enclosure, substrate in said substrate tube, a samplingstick made from plastic and constructed with a notch permitting thestick to be folded upon itself about an axis through the zone weakenedby said notch, a sleeve slidably mounted on said stick, and acylindrical or prismatic cap the lower portion of which is shaped [toenclose] such that it encloses the upper portion of said substrate tubeduring transportation.

2. A bacteriological sampling set as in claim 1 in which said cap isconstructed with a downwardly diverg ng groove for receivin thebent-over end of said stick after the other end thereof has beenintroduced into said substrate tube.

3. A bacteriological sampling set as in claim 1 in which a collar isprovided on the bottom face of said cover of said enclosure for holdingthe upper portion of said cap in a central position.

4. A bacteriological sampling set as in claim 1 in which a pad ofresilient material is provided in the upper portion of said cap.

5. A bacteriological sampling set as in claim 1 in which an insertmember is provided in the lower portion of sa d enclosure, the upperface of said insert member being constructed with a collar to hold thelower end of said substrate tube, the bottom face of said insert memberbeing constructed with three uniformly spaced projections supported onthe bottom of said enclosure.

6. A bacteriological sampling set as in claim 1 in which the substratein said substrate tube has a gelatinous consistency.

7. A bacteriological sampling set as in claim 1 in which rings of amoisture absorbing material are provided in the cover and/or at thebottom of said enclosure.

8. A bacteriological sampling set as in claim 1 and further comprising ahollow cylindrical stopper constructed on its circumferential surfacewith annular flanges having diameters decreasing in the longitudinaldirection of said stopper, said stopper being adapted to he slid on tosaid sampling stick after the latter has been severed at said notch.

9. A bacteriological sampling set as in claim 1 in which longitudinalparallel projecting edges are provided in the inner surface of saidsleeve and/or said hollow stopper.

10. A bacteriological sampling set as in claim 1 in which a plurality ofaxially extending ribs are provided on the outer surface of said cap,said ribs being adapted to be slid into corresponding axially extendinggrooves in the inner wall of said enclosure.

11. A bacteriological sampling set as in claim 10 and further comprisingan inner cap adapted to be placed around a cut-off sampling stickintroduced into said substrate tube, the outer face of said inner capbeing constructed in its upper portion with a plurality of ribs forholding said inner cap in a central position in said first mentionedcap, and being constructed in its lower portion with a plurality ofperipheral, radially projecting flanges adapted upon introduction ofsaid inner cap into the opening of said substrate tube tobe pressedagainst the inner wall thereof.

No references cited.

ALVIN E. TANENHOLTZ, Primary Examiner.

N. ROSKIN, Assistant Examiner.

